The Lost Child
A/N I don't much know where I'm going to go with this story, I might try to make a romance or something. This is sort of a prologue but not really. I'm giving no hints or clues to where this kid actually came from until later in the story, although it will be important. For the next few chapters it's just him growing up. This will have absolutely nothing to do with the ring or anything, pre-ring time. About 200 years or so before Bilbo's adventures. And yes Legolas fans, he's here. Yeppers. Here we go...
Haldir, Elf of Mirkwood, was patrolling the Southern border of the King's palace. It was dark and rainy, and even with his elven eyes he could barely see a yard in front of him. It was cold as well, but he dare not go in. The King demanded at least a day without disturbances while he consulted with an unknown visitor from the West. Haldir wanted to make his King happy, and would therefore carry out his orders.
It had been a quiet night so far, but he had his bow ready anyway. He was just about to put it away and sit when in the distance he heard a rustle in the trees and a crash. He quickly loaded his bow and ran to where the crash had sounded.
"Ya naa tanya?" Haldir shouted in Elvish. No answer. He tried Common Speech. "Who is there?" A faint moan alerted him that it was a creature in there, and it was hurt and would not hurt him back. Haldir lowered his bow and headed to where he found a small figure.
It was an elf, a young male elf with shoulder length blond hair and wild blue eyes. He was passed out Haldir saw, and he also saw that the boy had no clothes on. The poor thing was so small; he couldn't have been more than 10 years old. Haldir wondered where he had come from. The lad shivered slightly and Haldir realized that he must be freezing. He took off his cloak and wrapped the child in it.
Now what to do, Haldir thought. The King demanded that the guards stay put in their posts. But he couldn't keep the child outside like this. Slowly and quietly, Haldir sneaked his way into the palace, where he tried to find a servant he would leave the boy with.
"Who's that?" It was the prince, Legolas. "Haldir! You're supposed to be on duty! When my father-" He stopped when he saw the bundle in Haldir's arms. "What have you got there?"
"Curious young one." Haldir muttered. "This is the reason I'm not on duty." He opened up the cloak to reveal the face of the boy. "I found him passed out among the trees. Fell out of one of them I think."
"What do you plan to do with him?" Legolas asked.
"I only found him, and I am not fit to be a father. I was only going to take him to one of the servants and see if they could tend to him until he wakes."
"I'll take him Haldir, so you will not be in trouble." Legolas said, taking the boy out of Haldir's arms.
"Thank you, my prince. Farewell." With that, Haldir swiftly made his way out of the palace, leaving Legolas with the shivering young elf.
Legolas took the elf to his room and sat him on the bed. He found some of his old clothes and quickly dressed the boy. The child was limp and weak, and looked like it was starved. He was still quite cold too, as Legolas pulled blankets over him. The child was quite beautiful as elves go, with his golden blond hair and tanned skin. He had an innocent look on his smooth face, which at the moment was smudged with muck and dirt. He also had a large cut on his arm. Legolas stood up to go get something clean his face, when there was a knock on the door.
"Legolas?" King Thranduil entered his son's room and did not look surprised at all when he saw the young elf laying in Legolas' bed. "So this is the boy Haldir was speaking off. I ran into him after I left my conference with Lord Elrond. Don't you worry about keeping it secret, I'll send for some bandages and washcloths for him. My, he is small."
"I think he's about 11 or 12, father." Legolas stroked the hair of the boy. He began to stir.
The child opened his wild blue eyes slowly and looked around. "Where am I?" He asked. "Who are you?"
"I should ask you the same, lad." Thranduil said.
"I don't know..." The boy said. He turned over to his side, resting.
"I'm King Thranduil, and this is my son Prince Legolas. You're in Mirkwood. Now where do you come from?"
"I can't remember..." The boy moaned.
"I believe he's lost his memory, father." Legolas said. "Haldir said he might have fallen out of a tree."
"I think so. But we can't keep him here, there's no one to care for him." Thranduil said. "We can't raise him."
"If I may intrude?" Elrond entered the room. Obviously he had overheard the whole thing. "He could come back to Rivendell with me tonight. Arwen will take care of him."
"So be it." Thranduil smiled. Legolas was slightly dissapointed, for he rather liked the boy. But he was a warrior and couldn't raise him either. "But he needs a proper name. What would you like to name him, Elrond?"
"I think I'll name him after Celeborn, my friend." Elrond looked at the lad, studying his features. "Yes, he rather resembles him too. Celebroth is will be. Celebroth of Mirkwood."